


Tender Loving Bats

by FleetSparrow



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-01-18 06:02:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1417806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, even Alfred needs a little spoiling.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tender Loving Bats

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Goodluckdetective (scorpiontales)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/scorpiontales/gifts).



> Prompt for goodluckdetective for Fluff Week. Prompt: Alfred is hurt/sick badly and once he recovers, he heads back to the manor after a week in the hospital ready to work. So he’s thrown off guard when the entire batfam coddles him like no other. Even Bruce.
> 
> I kinda deviated from it a bit.

It hadn't surprised anyone that Scarecrow had released his toxin throughout the Gotham subway system. Really, it had always seemed like some sort of "next goal" for him, that level of mass-hysteria he could cause by terrorizing hundreds at once in closed spaces. What had surprised them was that the gasses released would make their way through the tunnels and up into the Batcave. While the rest of them were out with the antidote trying to contain the panic, Alfred had been alone in the Cave.

It had started slowly, a small knot of worry low in his stomach that wouldn't leave no matter how many times he assured himself that the children were all fine and could handle themselves. A few moments later, it had escalated to a mild paranoia. The sounds of the bats fleeing the Cave seemed frightening, and every slight movement of shadow made him jump. There was no antidote left in the Cave, and even if there had been, by the time he realized what was happening, the fear toxin was far too strong. When the Bats returned, they found Alfred sprawled beneath Jason's memorial case, unconscious and twitching.

As soon as she was called, Leslie insisted they send Alfred to a real hospital while the Cave and Manor aired. They created a good story, saying that he'd been caught in one of the rushing crowds and been lost in a tunnel. Every day while he recovered, one of the family would come and visit (they had been limited to one at a time, after the first night when six of them had crowded into his room at once and been kicked out by a nurse). After a week of treatment to be sure he was all clear (although Alfred was sure they were taking extra time to make sure he was fine, since Bruce Wayne was making himself a presence at the hospital), Bruce came to pick him up and return him to the Manor.

"I've never been more pleased to be returning home, sir," Alfred said as they walked to the car. "Nor to be standing upright again." After a week of almost constant bedrest and then being wheeled down to the hospital doors, even Alfred's patience was being tested.

Alfred headed automatically toward the driver's door as they approached the car, nearly running into Bruce when he bodily inserted himself between Alfred and the car. "Sir?"

"This is still part of your time off, Alfred," Bruce said, a small smirk on his lips. "I'm driving."

Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Time off might mean more if my pay was higher." Bruce just smirked and opened the rear door. Alfred sighed. "Very well, sir." He batted off Bruce's offered arm, needing no help to get into the car, but gave him a small smile once he was settled. "Home, Wayne."

Bruce grinned at him in the rearview mirror. "Yes, sir."

Bruce fulfilled his duties as a chauffeur admirably, opening the car door and the Manor door for Alfred before the older man could even reach for them.

"Thank you," Alfred said, giving Bruce a Look as he stood in front of the Manor. "Now that I am home, I should like nothing more than to get to cleaning up the havoc that was undoubtedly wreaked in my absence."

Bruce smiled. ”You may be surprised…”

A banner hung from the top banister that read “Welcome Home, Alfred!”, each letter painted a different color, with symbols all around it for each of the children. Alfred smiled warmly as he gazed at it, ignoring the slightly pessimistic side of him that said this was clearly a preemptive apology for something.

"It’s very sweet, Master Bruce," Alfred said once Bruce joined him. "Now, I think I should like to check on—" He broke off sharply, sniffing the air. "My kitchen…." He marched off, leaving Bruce to hurry after him.

"No, Alfred, I’m sure it’s fine. I told them to make only easy things, so there shouldn’t be any problem."

Alfred pushed open the kitchen door, unleashing the strange smell he had noticed from the hall.

Strange was certainly correct, but it wasn’t actually unpleasant. The smell was actually a mix of scents, each one overlapping from the foods the children prepared. Every time Dick uncovered his pot of soup to stir it, the scent rose and mixed with the rich chocolate of a cake in the oven that Cassandra was watching intensely. Beneath it all was a sharp sweetness from the counter nearest the door, where Tim and Damian seemed to be doing their best to work together on baklava without actually speaking to each other. Aside from the clear signs of active use, the kitchen was otherwise spotless.

Dick was the first one to look up, smiling wide at Alfred’s look of shock. ”Hey, Alfred! We’ve got dinner covered, don’t worry!”

"Yeah, go rest, Alfred," Tim said. "We’ll let you know when it’s ready."

Alfred just blinked at them. ”This… is all a bit—”

Damian turned around, his work forgotten for the moment. ”Pennyworth! I order you to leave this kitchen at once. You may take your leisure wherever you wish it, but you must not come back in here.”

Bruce frowned, muttering a warning, “Damian,” but Dick just beamed and laughed. ”That’s right, Alfred. Listen to the tiniest Wayne. We’ve got it, I promise.”

Collected once again, Alfred simply raised an eyebrow and inclined his head to Damian. ”As you wish, Master Damian. I shall retire and leave you to your work.”

As he straightened, he noticed Cass shooting him a quick look. ”Miss Cassandra, if you wouldn’t mind joining me? I would appreciate your company.” Cass glanced between him and the oven. ”I promise you it will bake well whether you are watching it or not.” She looked back at Dick, who nodded, and went to Alfred, taking his bag from Bruce.

"Don’t worry, Cassandra," Bruce said. "I’ll watch it very carefully in your place."

She nodded, and rose up onto her toes to stage whisper to him. ”Don’t let Tim do anything to it. He tried to use baking powder instead of flour.”

"That was one time, Cass! I misread the box."

Cass just gave Bruce a solemn look and turned to leave, grinning at Alfred as she passed.

Alfred smiled gently at them all. ”Well, I’ll leave you all to it, then.” He backed out of the room— just because he was “off duty”, it didn’t mean he would throw training to the winds— and shut the door. ”Well, Miss Cassandra, where do you suggest I take my newfound leisure?”

"The library," she said, giving him a knowing look. "There’s tea set up. Someone’s waiting for you."

He gave her an inquisitive look, but she just shrugged and headed up the stairs with his bag. He made his way to the library, listening closely for any clue as to who might be inside. When he heard nothing more than the faint sound of wind from an open window, he quietly opened the door.

Inside, sitting closest to the open window, was Jason, quietly reading.

"Master Jason?" Alfred’s voice came out in what felt like barely a whisper, but it carried enough to bring the young man out of his book.

"Hi, Alfred. I made some tea before the Bat storm hit the kitchen." He shut his book and set it aside. "I, uh, haven’t started yet. I wanted to wait for you to get here."

Alfred smiled. ”That’s very thoughtful of you, Master Jason.”

Jason let out a small huff of air and ducked his head, an old mannerism from when he was a boy and unsure of what to do about frequent praise. ”Just thought you might like to relax a bit. I’ve gotta leave as soon as Cass gives the signal.” If Jason looked a little guilty about that, Alfred wasn’t going to tell him and spoil what they had started.

"I understand," he said, pouring the tea. "I’ll take your company as long as we have, then."

Jason smiled. ”Glad you’re OK, Alfred. And I’m glad you’re home.”

"So am I, my boy," Alfred said, smiling fondly at him. "So am I."


End file.
